Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.v

J. H. FLUOD 8v H. P. KNODER.

GAR COUPLING.

QW m. A@ m. m ,7

Patented Nov. 20, 1883.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Na Model.)

Jx H. FLOOD 8v H. F. KNODEBJ.

--f GAR GOUPLING. No. 288,789. Patented Nov, 20., l888.

WITNBSSBS l1. jig/25517K A AM' if ATTORNEYS.

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JAMES HENRY FLOOD AND HENRY FREDERIC KNODER, OF CARDINGTON,

OHIO. Y

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Vlifatent No. 288,789, dated November 20, 1883.

Application tiled March 3, 1883. (No model.)

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES H. FLOOD and HENRY F. KNODER, both of Cardington, in the county of Morrow and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Gar-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

Our invention consists, principally, of certain attachments to be used with speciallyi'ormed draw-heads or with draw-heads in common use, whereby the ordinary link-andpin ear-couplings may be made automatic in coupling'cars.

The invention also consists of a clasp-rod for raising the couplingpin from the top or sides of the car for uncoupling the cars, which rod is also provided with a set-screw for limiting the upward movement of thetrod, to prevent the coupling-pinbeing raised too'high or entirely out of the draw-head.

Reference is to he had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In front of the pin Z) is placed, in the slot d, the

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, showing our coupling attachment applied to drawheads made especially to receive them, and

showing the parts in the position they assume just before coupling. Fig. 2 isa plan view of the same, one of the draw-heads being lin see- Y tion.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one of the draw-heads and coupling attachment. Figs. 4 and 5 show a separate rod for lifting the guide-plate; and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation, showing our invention applied to an ordinary draw-head.

A is a guideplate for guiding the connecting-link E into the throat of the draw-head B.

spring f, which serves, when the coupling-pin D is raised, to force the sliding bar C and guide-plate A out of the draw-head to the position shown at the right of Figs. l and 2, in which position the outer end of the guideplate A will drop down so as to stand at an inclination of about forty-ve degrees in front of the lower edge of the draw-head, as shown in said figures.

To prevent the outer end of the guide-plate Adropping down too low, we provide Vthe sliding bar C with the stop-pins c c, against which the rear ends of the arms e e of the guide-plate A are adapted to come, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2.

The sliding bar C, besides being formed with themembers ct a, is formed with the central projection, g, which stands on 'a higher level than the members a c, and under which proj ection the connecting-link E is adapted to strike when the cars are backed together for coupling, so that the sliding bar G will be forced by the impact of the cars back against the pressure of the spring f into the drawhead, and the backward movement will force the guide-plate A within the draw-head, and will be sufficient to cause the sliding har C to clear the coupling-pin D, thus permitting it to drop through the link, and thus retain it.

The upper surface of the sliding bar is fiat tened, or, preferably, slightly grooved out, as

shown at t', for forming a proper support for the lower end of the coupling-pin D, :for holding the pin in an elevated position when the connectingdink E is not in place in the drawhead, and so that there wiil he no danger of binding or uncertain action of the pin when the link ent-ers the draw-head.

When our invention is to be used with specially-made draw-heads, the sliding bar C will be made of considerable length, and the drawheads will he chambered out hack a sufficient distance to receive them; but when applied to draw-heads already in use, the length and form of the sliding bar will be made to con form to the size and shape of the throat of the particular form of draw-head, as will be understood from Fig. 6, and in most cases it will be found necessary to support the outer 'end of the sliding bar C upon the separate metal block F, secured in the draw-head by'bolts or rivets, as will be understood from said Fig. 6.

To the outer end of the central projection, g, is pivoted the weighted dog G, which is adapted for holding the coupling-pin in an elevated position, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The

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'55 l saidFig. 2, and to this thumb-screw is attached weighted dog G is scarf- ]l ointed, and its upper and lower portions are pivoted together at t, so that the lower portion will be rigid when the link strikes it to trip the pin, in coupling the cars, and to permit free withdrawal of the link-should part j fall within the link in uncoupling said part j is free to swing outward with the link, while the part j/ remains in position to support the coupling-pin, as will readily be understood. In draw-heads already in use, this dog G may be pivoted in the throat of the draw-head, as shown in Fig. 6, `so lthat when the coupling-pin D is raised, the rear end, j, of the dog G, which is of sufficient weight to counterbalance the weight of the pin, will drop down, bringingthe forward part, j', of the dog under the pin, thus supporting it until the entrance of the connecting-link E inthe draw-head strikes the lower and heavier part, j, which will trip the dog and let the coupling-pin D drop.

In case it is not desired to depend wholly upon the spring f for forcing the sliding bar C and guide-plate A out of the draw-head,we may form the guide-plate with the central lip or projection, ci', against which the connectinglink E will strike in being drawn out of the draw-head in uncoupling, thus drawing the sliding bar and guide-plate out with a positive action; and in order to tip lthe outer end ofthe guide-plate A upward, for entering the connecting-link into the draw-head before the link strikes the sliding bar 'C under the central projection, g, we may provide one member a of the sliding bar C with the protruding push-rod H, and the guide-plate A with the upwardly-proj ecting lip h', against which the inner end of the rod H is adapted to impinge, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so that when the opposing draw-head or bar C strikes the outer end, h, of the rod H, to move it inward, it will raise the outer end of the guide-plate A just at the proper time to lift the connectingdink, and always cause it to properly enter the draw-head.

L is the clasp-bar for raising the eouplingl pin for uncoupling the cars.

made in two parts, ZZ, that are journaled in` rlhis bar L is A suitableL plates and reach to the sides of the car, and these parts are formed'with the corresponding arms, Z Z', that are adapted to clasp the coupling-pin, as shown in Fig. 2, and to be drawn together snugly around or against the pin D on opposite sides by the thumb-4 screw m, as will be clearly understood from means of thisy chain from the top of the car, or

from the sides of the car by means of the rods Z l. To prevent the rods Z Z being turned too far -inthe actofuncoupling,we provide one of them with the short arm o, in which is fitted the setscrew g, which is adapted to come against the car body or platform, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and by adjusting this set-screw the couplingpin D may always be raised just the proper height, and by it all danger of raising the pin entirely out of the draw-head is obviated.

In use the connecting-link E will be placed in one of the draw-heads of the cars to be coupled, as shown at the left in Fig. l, and the coupling-pin D of the opposing car will be raised, as shown at the right in Fig. l, which will permit the sliding bar b and i guide-plate A to be forced out of the draw-head by the spring f, so that when the cars are backed together the guide-plate will guide the connecting-link into the throat of the draw-head and against the sliding bar O, which will thus be forced back into the draw-head and from under the coupling-pin D, which pin will then drop through the connecting-link and effect the coupling. In uncoupling it is only necessary to raise one of the coupling-pins, whereupon the weighted dog G will drop to position and support the pin until the link is drawn out of the drawhead,.when the sliding bar C will be forcedout of the draw-head by the spring f, and the coupling-pin D will then be supported upon the sliding bar C, as shown at the right in Fig. 1. In this manner it will be seen that the coupling is perfectly automatic, is cheap, adapted to be attached to all forms of .draw-heads, and is very easily operated, and is certain and reliable in its action.

Instead of using the horizontal pin b for holding the sliding bar C in the draw-head, a vertically-placed headed pin might be used, entering the draw-head at the bottom, and the head of the pin running in a suitable groove made in the under side of the sliding bar. When this arrangement is employed, the vertical pin may serve at the same time to hold the block F in place in the draw-head.

Having thus described-our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

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l. In a car-coupling, the bar C, arranged to 2. In a car-coupling, the sliding bar C,

formed with the slot d, and held in the drawhead by the pin b, in combination with the spring f and pivoted guide-plate'A, substantially as and for the-purpose set forth.

3. The sliding bar C, vhaving the guideplate A pivoted thereto, and having the central projection, g, under which the connectinglink is adapted to strike, for forcing the bar and the guide-plate back into the draw-head, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. rIhe sliding bar C, adapted to support the coupling-pin D, and to be forced out of the draw-head by the spring f, the bar being provided with the guide-plate A, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

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l 5. The combination, with the sliding bar C, having the guide-plate A, of the pivoted,

Weighted, and jointed dog G, for supporting 8. The clasp-bar L, provided with the arm the oouplingpin, substantially as and for the o, having set-screw q, for limiting the distance purposes set forth. of movement of the rod, as and for the purf'" 6. The guide-plate A, provided with the poses set forth.

' 5 lip or projection co, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. JAMES HENRY FLOOD.

7. The clasp-bar L, composed of the rods HENRY FREDERIC KNODER. Z Z, having arms Z l', that surround the coupling-pin, and are drawn together bythe thumb- Vtnesses: 1o screwr u, substantially as and for the purposes G. B. GRAY,

set forth. G. J. CONKLIN. 

